Her Imperfections

Chapter Twenty-One

Dex was on his feet that evening for dinner. Livvy didn't know, which Sophie pitied Dex when Livvy found out, but he insisted.
"Pass me the soup please." Dex piped from across the table, hand stretching towards her.
Sophie glanced up and realized she had been zoning out for the past few minutes. "Here," Sophie mumbled, trying ignore the awkward bridge between them since her visit that morning.
Dex almost responded, but Livvy stepped in the common area. He tried to duck under the table, but hissed in pain when his leg jolted against the floor. Livvy surprisingly made her way over to Sophie instead, "I need you for a few seconds."
"Of course." Sophie dropped her fork down and took to Livvy's side.
Just as they were exiting the common area with stares on their backs, Livvy gave a Dex a quick side eye. "Be in your room by the time I'm back and we'll pretend this never happened."
The tips of Dex's ears turned practically red and Sophie was still laughing as she and Livvy walked to the hospital in the Alluveterre. But her smile faded as she realized how stiff and heavy footed Livvy was. Too nervous to ask why Livvy was so anxious, Sophie just bit back on her words.
Livvy led her through the door and Sophie's panicked feelings melted that second. Elwin was standing there, petting Bullhorn's head while the banshee purred. He was absentmindedly spilling crumbs all over his scribbled notes, though he didn't seem o care. Sophie ran to his side and hugged him so hard that Bullhorn wheezed and wiggled out of their embrace.
"Sophie." Elwin breathed out, pushing Sophie away so he could look at her.
It hadn't even been a week and she had already started to miss him. Sophie had no idea how she had survived the time her friends and her had to hide from the Council without seeing the bright grinned Flasher.
"What's going on?" She whispered to Elwin, keeping her words out of Livvy's grasp.
Elwin glanced away and became very interested in the elixirs to his left. "I'm not really here to do.... that. I'm just here to monitor you."
"Tha-" Sophie started to repeat but Livvy put a hand in her shocker.
"Come on."
Livvy helped Sophie to one of the chairs and Sophie wasn't surprised to find her hands sweaty and eyelashes itchy. Fighting the urge to pull one out, Sophie watched the pair of Healers expectantly.
Livvy came back and handed her a vial. The elixir inside looked like spun white silk, sloshing around without sound. In that instant Sophie realized what was going on. Livvy finished the mind elixir.
And she was scared enough about it to bring Elwin.
"What, does it haves limbium in it?" Sophie joked, it genuinely questioned it.
Elwin shook his head quickly, "No, but it does share some qualities of the ability restrictor." He grinned nervously, "Just wanted to give you a warning."
"Okay, let's go." Sophie rubbed her hands together and started to uncork it.
Elwin flashed a yellow light around her head and gave her a nod. Sophie wrestled the fears clawing up her throat and downed them with the elixir. The elixir set in immediately.
It started with a blur. Not just her eyesight but it felt like her hearing and smell too. Sounds warped inside Sophie's mind and the dusty, chilly scent of the elixir overwhelmed her. When it started to settle, Sophie finally discovered why Livvy was so nervous.
She couldn't think.
It was like every thought she tried to conjure just fluttered away. Sophie started to hyperventilate a little as she tried to hold on to her thoughts. Every time she tried to focus on one a slight headache pushed her efforts away.
"Sophie?" Elwin's voice was soft and quiet as the yellow light around her flicked to various other colors.
Sophie pushed his hands away from her temples, "I'm fine." But in her confusion the words came out more like, "Iahm finesh."
"Okay, sure." Elwin teased, but his hands kept flashing his light.
"Well?" Livvy asked, her braids twisted in her fingers.
"Better than we thought, from my standpoint. We definitely need to tweak the dosage for the...." Elwin winked at Sophie, "Well you don't want to know why."
Sophie smiled, but she was still trying not to panic. Her focus wasn't getting any better. At least whenever Sophie tried to go back into the Mind Limbo, her mind was far too distracted to get there.
Livvy started to sort through a bin of elixirs, "I'll get you something for your eyesight and hearing. And don't forget, if there was anything wrong you would tell me. Right?"
Sophie nodded, then furrowed her brows in confusion. "How did you know about my eyeigsht and hearing?"
Elwin stifled a smirk, "You were rambling about it quite loudly."
Sophie blushed and quickly took the elixirs Livvy handed her to keep from answering. The mind elixir would definitely set back her plans to ask Fintan about her other ability, but maybe it would be good to have a break. Once she could get Elwin and Livvy off her back Sophie would stop taking them and finally have a talks with Fintan. Until then, she would grill Mr. Forkle best she could.
"I'm going to head back." Sophie said.
Livvy nodded, "I'll make sure to add an elixir to your meals."
"Oh, Livvy? Thank you." Then she dashed. Sophie was gone before she had to deal with Livvy's sniffling and hugging.
Her friends were all gone by the time she got to the common area. Which was good because Sophie doubted she could hold a conversation with her blurred attention span. It wouldn't be easy to hide it, especially from Livvy. But she had to do it. It would make the perfect cover while she talked with Fintan.
Sophei didn't want to hide her true intentions, but she needed answers.
"Going to bed?" Sandor asked suddenly from behind her.
Without turning Sophie said, "Set up the training field, will you?"